About the position
Position: Procurement Analyst
Location: Gauteng
Purpose of the Job
Reporting to the Procurement Operations and Systems Manager, the Procurement Analyst supports the central procurement team by delivering data-driven insights, managing procurement systems (primarily SAP), and ensuring compliance through detailed reporting and analysis.
This role also includes a focus on analysing material purchasing trends, reviewing and supporting the effectiveness and efficiency of Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems, and supporting strategic procurement processes across all locations to optimize efficiency and decision-making.
Responsibilities:
Compliance Reporting
- Prepare monthly reports to support policy compliance, including aged purchase orders, unreleased purchase requisitions, procurement after commitment, prepayments, emergency procurement, and items purchased on free text multiple times that should be assigned material numbers.
- Ensure reports align with company policies and local regulations in South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Kenya.
Spend and Economic Analysis
- Conduct spend analysis for direct (e.g., silica sand, soda ash, cullet) and indirect (e.g., machinery, logistics, MRO) categories across all operations in collaboration with and support of the Group Procurement Head of Data and Analytics.
- Develop economic forecasts and link them to spend analysis to inform procurement strategies.
- Complete commodity forecasts for various scenarios to support strategic sourcing decisions.
Material Purchasing Trends and Analysis
- Analyse material purchasing trends to identify patterns in demand, pricing, and supplier performance for key materials (e.g., silica sand, soda ash, limestone, cullet).
- Provide insights into material usage patterns and recommend adjustments to procurement strategies to optimize inventory and reduce costs.
MRP Analysis and Strategies
- Review and propose updates to Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems within SAP to ensure accurate demand planning and inventory management.
- Monitor MRP usage and overrides, identifying discrepancies and proposing corrective actions to align with production schedules.
- Develop and refine MRP strategies to optimize material availability while minimizing excess stock and costs.
Commodity Price Forecasting
- Review, manage, and model commodity price forecast models for key materials (e.g., soda ash, cullet, energy).
- Prepare and update supplier price adjustment formulas to reflect market conditions and ensure cost efficiency.
Master Data Management
- Review and correct procurement master data in SAP, ensuring accuracy for material numbers, supplier records, and pricing data.
- Identify and rectify discrepancies to support seamless procurement operations and accurate reporting.
Dashboard and Reporting Development
- Create and maintain dashboards and reports using tools like Power BI, Tableau, or Excel to support procurement and supply chain reporting, including material purchasing trends, MRP performance, and compliance metrics.
- Provide actionable insights into spend, supplier performance, material usage, and operational efficiency for the Procurement Operations and Systems Manager and CPO.
SAP Management
- Manage and review SAP access, including release strategies for purchase requisitions (PR) and purchase orders (PO), ensuring alignment with delegation of authority.
- Support system integration, troubleshoot issues, and maintain data integrity across all locations.
- Assist country-specific coordinators in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Kenya with SAP system usage and training.
Trend and Ad Hoc Analysis
- Perform trend analysis on material purchasing, spend, and supplier performance to identify opportunities for optimization.
- Conduct ad hoc analysis to support strategic and operational procurement decisions as requested.
Financial Reconciliation
- Reconcile procurement data with financial spend to ensure accuracy and compliance with financial reporting standards.
- Assist in audits by providing accurate procurement data, including material purchasing and MRP-related reports.
Cross-functional Support
- Collaborate with Category Managers to provide data for sourcing strategies and framework agreements.
- Support country-specific Procurement Coordinators with analytical insights and SAP training.
- Work with production, inventory, and finance teams to align MRP strategies with operational needs.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Business Analytics, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
- A professional certification (e.g., CIPS Level 4, APICS) is an added advantage.
- Familiarity with multinational operations, particularly in African markets, is an advantage.
Experience, Knowledge & Skills:
- 2-4 years of experience in procurement, data analysis, or supply chain roles, with a focus on procurement spend analysis, MRP systems, and material management.
- Advanced proficiency in SAP (Material Management module preferred) and data analysis tools (e.g., SAP BW, Excel, Power BI, Tableau).
- Strong understanding of commercial modelling systems, commodity forecasting, material purchasing trends, and supplier price adjustment methodologies.
- Knowledge of master data management and financial reconciliation processes.
Desired Skills:
- Procurement
- planning
- data analysis
- inventory management
- spent analysis
- commodity forecasting
- material management
